German Potato Doughnuts Food

AUNT KATHY'S OLD-FASHIONED POTATO DONUTS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat sugar and shortening together in a bowl using an electric mixer until creamy. Add milk, eggs, and vanilla extract; stir well. Stir in mashed potatoes. Add flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir using a sturdy spoon, as mixture will be thick. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour so that dough will be less sticky and easier to work with.
• Lightly flour a countertop and place plastic wrap on top of dough; roll out to desired thickness. Cut into strips or use a donut cutter to make traditional round donuts.
• Lower donuts carefully into the hot oil in batches. Fry until 1 side is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and continue frying until other side is golden, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining donuts.
• Transfer donuts to a wire rack to cool.

FASTNACHTS (GERMAN DOUGHNUTS)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk.
• Sift in flour and salt in bowl.
• Make a hole in the center.
• Pour dissolved yeast and all other ingredients into the hole and mix until not sticky.
• Cover and let rise until doubled.
• Punch down, then let rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll out to about 1/4-inch and cut.
• Let rise another 20-30 minutes.
• Fry in deep fat until light brown.
• While still hot, roll in sugar.

GERMAN POTATO DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• 1. Mix all ingredients.
• 2. Roll out fairly thick (about 1").
• 3. Cut in 2" or 3" strips
• 4. Drop in hot fat and fry until brown. They form interesting shapes as they fry. Roll in powder sugar or cinnamon sugar.

GROPHENS (GERMAN MASHED POTATO DOUGHNUTS)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water.
• Mix scalded milk with mashed potatoes, shortening, sugar, and salt.
• Add eggs and yeast mixture to milk mixture. Gradually add flour, beating with a large fork to form a soft dough. Stir in raisins.
• Turn out onto a floured board. Knead lightly. Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter (without center hole). Be sure the whole cutter is filled with dough.
• Place grophens on parchment paper-lined pans and let rise 1 hour. Stretch the sides with your fingers to form a slight hollow in the center.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Fry grophens in the hot oil, working in batches, until golden, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

NORWEGIAN POTATO DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Reheat mashed potatoes.
• Stir in the butter or shortening into the potatoes in a small bowl.
• In mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar 3-4 minutes until eggs are pale yellow.
• Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla.
• Stir in the potatoes.
• Stir in the flour, baking powder and soda, salt and nutmeg.
• Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll to ½ inch thickness.
• Cut with a donut cutter.
• Add the oil to 2 inch depth in a deep skillet or Dutch oven. (I like cast iron because the temperature stays constant).
• Heat oil to about 350 degrees.
• Fry donuts in batches but do not crowd in pan.
• Turn once until both sides are browned about 2-3 minutes on each side.
• Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• If desired you can roll in sugar or cinnamon sugar or glaze.
• These are best served warm.

MASHED POTATO DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm buttermilk. Add potatoes, eggs and butter. Add 2 cups sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Do not knead. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. , Turn onto a floured surface; divide into fourths. Roll each portion to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. doughnut cutter. , In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon; roll doughnuts in cinnamon-sugar while warm.

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH POTATO DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, milk, eggs and butter. Combine the sugar, baking powder and 2 cups flour; stir into potato mixture. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour., Divide dough in half. Turn each half onto a lightly floured surface; roll to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-3/4-in. doughnut cutter. , In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. , In a small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth. Color glaze if desired. Dip doughnuts in glaze and sprinkles as desired.

GERMAN FASTNACHTS WITH POTATO

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water with 1 tsp of sugar.
• Mix potatoes, sugar, potato water and flour; add yeast dissolved in water.
• Let rise in a warm place for several hours.
• Then add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup lukewarm water or milk, 3/4 cup melted butter, 3 eggs, salt and about 5 cups flour for stiff dough.
• Turn onto a well floured board and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add a small amount of extra flour if necessary so the dough can be handled without sticking to your fingers.
• Grease a large bowl.
• Place the dough in the greased bowl.
• Cover with a thin towel, and let rise in a warm, draft free place for about 2 hours or until it is at least double in size.
• Now, according to all my instruction, you’re supposed to let the dough rise again for another hour or two, but that means you’d be fussing with these things all day; figure it out; this would be its third rising, with another to come; I think at this point I’d be reckless and divide the dough in thirds and start rolling it out.
• What matters if you do have a few large holes in your fastnachts?
• Take your choice, rise or roll.
• I’d try rolling the dough to about 3/4 inch thickness.
• Fastnachts have a traditional diamond shape; cut them into diamonds with a knife.
• Another essential is to cut a slit across the top of each fastnacht with a sharp knife.
• Let the fastnachts rise, covered, in a warm place, till they’re springy to the touch; when they’re quite fat and puffy, drop them with the raised side down into fat that is hot enough to brown a bread cube—375 degrees.
• Fry on both sides.
• If you don’t want that many fried cakes you might try baking some in a hot oven as rolls.
• Food that Really Schmecks.